Recycling

How cool is this! They have found a way to microwave plastic objects, returning them to their oil and gases!

http://environment.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn12141

HSC Heckler

There's been lots of Heckler articles written by HSC students lately - I think they might be feeling a bit pressured, or something. Don't know why.
This one made me smile - a nice piece of writing.

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Please look upon this small indulgence as an HSC task
Vicki Copeman
June 27, 2007

DEAR Higher School Certificate,

As I write this, I feel guilty. I know I could, and should - judging by recent marks - be studying for assessments and exams (do they ever end?), but I find myself here, writing away my guilt (at least until I press SEND).

Our relationship over the past nine months has been tempestuous, and I couldn't account for one student of yours who is happy with you. As much as I know you will contribute to getting me into university (hopefully) and maybe scoring me a job in the big bad world one day, I'd really like you to put on the brakes for a few weeks and remind me it's OK to put my feet up and relax sometimes.

I'm often reminded by well-meaning adults that the HSC is not a sprint but a marathon. Blame my genes, but I'm not cut out for long-distance running.

I'm grateful to be one of the luckiest young women in the world, who can benefit from the gift of an education; however, the constant battery of assessment tasks, examinations, reports, parent-teacher interviews - need I continue? - does little to make me appreciate my final year of school.

My enjoyment of fine publications such as the Herald (or even Who Weekly) has been put on the back burner. I feel guilt overwhelm me every time I reach for said texts instead of set texts. There's only so much Huxley, Shakespeare and Coleridge I can take before I see a blur of letters that resemble H, S and C.

It appears that I'm not the only 2007 HSC student looking for inventive ways to procrastinate: Heckler has already featured disgruntled students feeling the pressure; however, apparently notenough pressure to propel us to study as opposed to grumpily vent our feelings to the only source we feel will listen. I, like previous writers, I presume, naturally figure this is good practice for the many English essays we will (attempt to) write in the next five months, and therefore count the minutes spent creating this as valuable study time.

I hope, for my and the rest of the class of 2007's sake, that this guilty feeling will exponentially (thank you, mathematics) increase our feeling of joy and satisfaction come early November.

Now, after almost half an hour of essay-writing skills put into practice, my (non-existent) study timetable is informing me that a well-earned break of 15 minutes is due. In these 15 minutes I will attempt to watch Grey's Anatomy on fast-forward, or perhaps have a quick conversation with my family while drinking my dinner (it's the fastest way).

Yours (for eternity, it seems),

Vicki Copeman

http://www.smh.com.au/news/heckler/please-look-upon-this-small-indulgence-as-an-hsc-task/2007/06/26/1182623911400.html

Something to look forward to!

The Chaser guys (well, one of them) seem to be starting a new website!

The SMH reports that it knows very little.
Must be another slow news day!

http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/chaser-mans-manic-attack/2007/06/19/1182019102580.html

The Chaser

The Chaser's web page is way-cool.
http://www.chaser.com.au/

This article is also way cool.
http://www.chaser.com.au/content/view/3410/72/

Characher work

In case my other plan doesn't work!

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Taming, Ten Things
Character questions

1. Describe in three words each of the following characters in The Taming of the Shrew:
Katherine, Petruchio, Bianca, Hortensio and Gremio
2. Describe in three words each of the following characters in Ten Things I Hate About You:
Kat, Pat, Bianca, Joey, Cameron
3. Relate one incident from the play that reveals the personality of the character:
Katherine, Petruchio, Bianca, Hortensio, Lucentio
4. Relate one incident from the film that reveals the personality of the character
Kat, Pat, Bianca, Joey, Cameron
5. Describe the references to clothing that are made in The Taming of the Shrew. What does this clothing shoe you about the characters and the society that they are a part of? (3-4 references)
6. Describe the clothing worn by the characters in Ten Things. What does this say about the place of these characters in this society?
7. How have the characters changed by the end of the play?
Katerine, Petruchio, Bianca, Hortensio, Lucentio.
8. How have the characters changed by the end of the film?
Kat, Pat, Bianca, Joey, Cameron.
9. Find two quotes that reveal the personality of each character in the play:
Katherine, Petruchio, Bianca, Hortensio, Lucentio, Baptista
10. Find two quotes that reveal the personality of each character in the film:
Kat, Pat, Bianca, Joey, Cameron, Mr Stratford

SMH goes downhill